t’s certainly been a journey for Valve. A week prior to the Steam Frame’s launch, we spoke with two engineers at Valve about the project: Joy Lyons, hardware engineer, and Jeremy Selan, software engineer. The memory crisis and the price were a big part of that conversation. From that chat, we can confirm that Valve had aimed for a lower price point than the one it’s launching the Frame for today.
Here’s Lyons on the memory crisis:
“We set out to design this hardware with one particular price in mind, but we’ve made choices to make sure that we’re making a product that is choiceful, that people can purchase, they can upgrade with different features later. But we wanted to make sure we had a base product with really great performance. Then that price target shifted due to the ongoing RAM crisis around the world.”
Lyons also said that forecasting for the cost of certain components used in the Steam Frame is an ongoing challenge.
Not exactly boding well of the Steam Deck 2.
I am still picking one up as I just want a headset with good Linux support that won’t spy on me. I’m coming from an OG Vive, so it should still feel like a big upgrade.
I just wish they had better support for Linux out of the box. Still on the fence about buying one, but it’s more battery and performance related than price related (though the price is oof, fucking data centers and AIssholes)
I’m ok with it Valve. I might not be able to pick one up right now but it doesn’t mean I’m not interested. Just please don’t give up on FEX-EMU. That to me is the true value proposition of all this.
Yeah. This sucks.
I was hoping for a new generation of hardware but I do t feel like it’s worth it at current prices.
It feels like a large expense for a step sideways.
Wow, $1100 for the entry level. I wouldn’t pay $500.
If you wouldn’t pay $500, then VR just isn’t for you. And that’s fine, there’s nothing wrong with that, but that’s basically the baseline bottom of the barrel price for this type of device (and the ones priced like that come with a LOT of caveats), so if you wouldn’t pay that price, why are you even part of the discussion? You were never the target audience in the first place.
I am the target though as I’ve wanted to get a VR setup for awhile now. I can get a Quest 3 used for $320. $1100 is just pissing your money away.
Ya enjoy your locked ecosystem. There a reason the quest is so cheap. You aren’t getting anything worth it for 500$, especially not with the inflation in tech. What a silly thing to say.
Ya enjoy wasting $1100 on something that will collect dust 95% of the time you own it. You’ll never use any headset enough to justify that price. Just ask the Apple zombies. But it’s Gabe so better defend my favorite billionaire.
Then no, you are not the target then. If you cannot afford it, then it isn’t for you.
I can afford it, I’m just not dumb enough to pay it.
